Kipling's first B-Match - June 8th, 2012

Southern Berkshire Golden Retriever Club and Canine Health events offered a B-Match on Friday night, I went back and forth about whether or not to enter Kipling. It's WAY out of his league really - trial site, lots of people, lots of distractions - HUGE ring, timers, buzzers, whistles, etc. Heck he's seen the chute four times and I haven't even started his weaves yet. But - there's that other side - there's a trial site (which is not a new environment for him), there's lots of people, there's lots of distractions and I can have a toy in my pocket. What better time to see what we have so far?

I expected a couple of things - I didn't really think he'd leave me to go visit ring crew or the judge. I didn't think he'd leave the ring, I hoped to get a few contacts and reward those contacts, play a bit and really see what I had from him. 

The great news is that I got exactly what I asked for - a mini-startline, stopped contacts, focus, attention, careful (thinking) feet over the bars. In all I got some really really really good stuff. One baby brain moment when I pushed a line coming out of a tunnel (which is GOOD! I know he hasn't got that ingrained see the line skill). 

We've got a lot more to work on, but I know we're on the right track!